Oil-well valve



C. F. RIGBY.

OIL WELL VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1919.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

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PAM/\L CLARK I. RIGBY, F BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

OIL-WELL VALVE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LOLARK F. RIGBY, a citizen of the United States and a resident of Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention in Oil-Well Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to increase the efficiency of pumpsiin oil or similar wells and to facilitate the removal of the pumps or the tubing in which they work andany other equipment within the casing.

A familiarform of oil well construction is shown in the drawingsforming part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a portion of an oil well equipped with my invention and Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the valve, packing and adjacent parts shown inv Fig. 1 and comprising the subject of my 4 invention.

the casing and its extension.

The top of container- 4: is bell-mouthed to guide descending fishin tools and just below the top is an undercut shoulder 7 which is adapted to be engaged by a fishing tool to pull the container and packing ring out of the well. Near the lower end of container 4 is a circumferential groove 8 and seated therein isa spring ring 9 with its bottom face tapered to facilitate insertion into the valve chamber 6. When valve chamber 6 is being lowered into the well, container 4: may be assembled therewith as shown and the-expansion of the compressed ring 9, will offer suflicient friction to secure the parts to ether in thelr descent but will not material y resist efforts to pull container 4 away from valve chamber 6. If the container is withdrawn, the shoulder 10 will pull the packin ring 3 along and lip 11 will protect it from eing torn by the well caslng.

When the pump 1s operating, pressure of the column of liquid above container 4 will Specification of Letters Patent.

force packing ring 3 outwardly against the wall of the casing. The joint formed thereby makes it unnecessary to extend the casing 1 to the bottom of the well as it provides a seal between casing 1 and extension 2 which renders the pump operative because it prevents the back-flow of liquid between the casing and extension.

The top section 12 of the casing extension is externally threaded at 131,0 accommodate the internally threaded lower end of valve chamber 6. Above joint 13, .valve chamber 6 is offset from the extension by the bevel shoulder 14. which is perforated by port holes 15 and forms a seat for the valve 16. Valve 16 has the disk face 17 and an under cut shoulder 18, the latter adapted'to be engaged by a fishing tool. When raised, the top rim 19 of valve 16 abuts the bottom rim 20 of container 4. Thus shoulder 14 and rim 20 limit the relative, movement of valve 16 in its chamber 6.

It will be understood by those familiar with the art that the point Where the casing may stop and the extension only continue may be several hundred feet above the bottom of the well. Throughout this distance gas will frequently collect in the space 21 between the well bore 22 and the casing extension 2, acquiring pressure which, unless relieved, forces gas into the pump at the well bottom with the oil and water and seriously interfering with the pumps operation.

By the construction shown and described Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed May 23, 1919. Serial No. 299,359. I

herein, the'pressure of the collecting gas,

when sufliciently great, lifts the valve from its seat which permits the gas to escape through port holes 15 into the oil and water at a point far above the pump and where it flows with the liquid to the well discharge. When this pressure is relievedgravity Wlll. seat the valve again and the interior of the extension is sealed off from the bore and easing as before.

In the operation of the well, it may become necessary to remove the pump, casing extension or tools left therein or all of these items. The column of liquid in the well, exerting the pressure which seals the 'oint at the packing, renders this removal di cult or impossible. By sliding a hollow fishing tool down the cable and engaging shoulder 18 .on valve 16, the valve may be lifted from its seat which will permit the liquid. above the valve to descend through port holes 15 and thereby remove the pressure from packing ring 3. This removal of tons of weight from the well cable load dispenses with the costly and often unsatisfactory operation of bailing the well.

I claim l. The combination in a well, of a casing, a casing extension, a pump and a valve :ontrolling the passage of fluids between the interior and exterior of said extension and located at a point above the pump. I

2. In a well, a well casing, a casing extension within said casing, a seal between said casing and said extension, and means below said seal for rendering it inefi'ective.

3. In a well, a well casing, a casing extension, a compressible seal between said casing and said extension and operated by the weight of the liquid in the well above said seal, and means below said seal adapted to permit the withdrawal of said liquid.

4. In a well, a well casing, a casing extension of less diameter than the well bore, a seal between said sing and said extension, a recess in sai extension below said seal, and a valve operating automatically in said recess to permit the passage of gas under pressure inwardly through the wall of said extension.

5. In a well, a well casing, a casing extension, a pressure operated seal between said casing and extension and a valve below iseasve said seal adapted to remove the pressure operating said seal.

6. In a well, a well casing, a casing extension, a compressible packing between said casing and said extension, a member adapted to retain and to compress said packing and to slide within said extension, and means on said member for frictionally uniting said member and said extension.

7. In a well, a well casing, a casing extension of less diameter than said casing and having an enlarged upper end which forms a valve seat and part of a valve chamber and provided with port holes in the seat portion, a valve disk adapted to enter said enlarged end and to seat so as to close said holes, and a member adapted to enter said enlarged end and be secured in said end above said valve so as to form with said end a chamber limiting the movement of said disk.

8. In a well, a well casing, a casing extension provided with an annular, ported valve seat at its upper end, a hollow, valve disk adapted to enter said end and rest on said seat, and a hollow, disk confining member adapted to enter said end and to clutch said extension so as to limit the movement of said disk from said seat.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my hand this 12th day of May,

CLARK F. RIGBY. 

